As new technologies continue to emerge, every company should at least think about the best ways in which they can integrate these new technological realities into their everyday processes. Of course, there are a fair number of businesses that kept up with the times and already implemented some IT and software solutions. One of the easiest ways to start a digital transformation process is with the help of a remote team. In other words, outsourcing one or more projects to a dedicated team, usually from another country. Many choose to nearshore these projects due mainly to its simplicity. The main difference between nearshoring and outsourcing is given by the proximity of the outsourced team. When you say outsourcing, it can mean anywhere in the world, but with nearshoring, we’re talking about a neighbouring country whose work culture is very similar. Why should nearshoring make more sense to your needs? Let’s find out together. We’ve discussed five of the most significant benefits that come from choosing to work with a nearshoring software development company.
Nearshoring allows you to significantly reduce development costs, and therefore invest them in other important projects. Depending on the country you choose to hire your remote team from, the differences between rates can be decisive. Of course, the quality of the work and the team’s culture are also contributing factors, but more on those later.So how can nearshoring help you cut costs and still maintain the quality of the work high? Let’s take an eastern European country like Romania, for example. The much cheaper labour and the tax exemption for software developers make Romania a European paradise for outsourcing services. Let’s explore some numbers. The average annual salary of a senior software engineer in the UK is somewhere between £50K - £70K, whereas in Romania it ranges between £25K - £40K. Clearly cutting back on some pretty big costs just with labour pay and taxes alone. But are they just as good? How do I know if I’m getting my money’s worth?
Eastern European countries are still benefiting from the Soviet’s emphasis on education. What does this mean? The higher education system in these countries has a strong inclination towards career pursuits like engineering and science. Also, education is very affordable, and many high school graduates choose to make a living in these occupations. The results are self-explanatory. The labour force specialised in IT and software engineering is rapidly growing every year. Romania, for example, is seen as an important player in the CEE region, a fast-growing software development hub that attracts more and more big companies to the region. But how do we know if this is the right path for our organisation?
One of the much-appreciated and searched for conditions when choosing a software nearshoring company is compatibility. This key feature can include things like language matching, cultural similarities, geographical proximity, ease of travel, etc.Probably the most important aspect of any relationship is communication. If the communication channel is altered, i.e. they speak different languages, then, the relationship is lost. Much can be lost in translation with these language barriers, and it decreases productivity significantly. But in the CEE, English is spoken widely. In fact, it has been a mandatory subject since pre-school, in some countries. And as they reach adulthood, they speak it fluently, alongside German, French, Italian, or Spanish. This ensures more efficient and effective vendor partnerships.So when you’re evaluating a potential partner, it’s rather common to find a correlation between a lower price and a language barrier. Try to look for partnerships that allow flexible workflow with minimal delays from misunderstandings. When you’re in a partnership with a nearshoring company from the CEE region, you do enjoy a nice cultural overlap. These countries share a similar history with the western countries, all of which were marked by technological progress. People are used to displaying openly their opinions and creating meaningful work that brings value and content. They are solution-oriented and are used to a flexible working environment. Another important factor in choosing a nearshoring company is, of course, the geographical location. The proximity of a CEE company to a western one is downright convenient for managing day-to-day operations with your remote team. The low cost of airfare travel and the small distances helps facilitate a high-quality outcome. Flexibility is a key feature of any collaboration. But what does it really mean to be flexible and even more, encourage it for overall business success?
Nowadays when we put the terms remote team and flexibility into the same sentence, the picture of a laid back person who is working from some exotic part of the world pops into our minds. This topic is not about digital nomads who travel and still get some work done in between, although that does sound very dreamy. We’re talking about the flexibility of keeping up with our daily tasks even in uncertain times, like these ones, where the new decade has had some challenges for us in store. A remote team, especially from the CEE region, usually has in place some very distinctive protocols for every project they take on. Every client and collaborator prefers to conduct operations in a certain way, and so, being a versatile team can do wonders for both the partners. Now, let’s analyse the current situation a bit. No one expected things to turn out the way they did. No one expected an (almost) global lockdown but times have always been uncertain, especially for business owners. Everyone is trying to do their part to keep everything under control and going. The main benefit when having such a team is the work flexibility part of it. They can perform the tasks, participate in daily meetings and keep up with the quality of their work from anywhere, as long as the internet connection is good. And so, taking advantage of this little perk, most software development companies have implemented procedures so that their teams can work from home keeping the same standards of their work. Team leaders have the sole responsibility to check in with their colleagues and make sure that they are doing good, both professionally and personally. Having the technological possibility of talking, seeing and collaborating together only means that we can overcome any obstacle that gets thrown in our way, and most importantly, we can do it together.Of course, none of this could be possible with a bad connection. But how important is having good infrastructure and what’s the main reason why it should be paramount for making sure business is conducted as normal as possible even remotely?
In terms of IT infrastructure, the CEE stands out from the crowd. The former Soviet states have long surpassed their western neighbours, in providing ultrafast fibre internet and world-class digital infrastructure. But what do we take into account when talking about a good infrastructure? There are four variables that assess the quality of the infrastructure:
Fortunately, most of the CEE countries rank very well on all these elements. This impressive performance can be attributed to the widespread availability of fibre internet which is much faster than the internet via copper cables. Take Romania for example. Due to a lack of clear regulations, some savvy entrepreneurs set up fast-speed internet networks that were delivered to people at a very good price. This allowed for high-quality fibre to cross cities and form a network of really good internet connections all over the country.What does this mean for the startup and business scene in this region?With a top of the line digital infrastructure, the CEE region is a stellar choice for anyone wishing to find a dedicated partner or a stable and trustworthy team. So many companies choose to relocate big parts of their operations in this region, which is also a very fertile area for IT & software development services.Nearshoring appeared as a better alternative to outsourcing to overseas countries. It creates a perfect environment for open collaboration between partners which is done with respect, knowledge and it is also affordable.
Qubiz has been the technological partner of choice for many Western European companies in countries such as The Netherlands, The UK and the DACH region. We’ve worked with both big and small companies from different industries and managed to successfully deliver cutting edge IT solutions for businesses that are on an ascending path towards innovation.Qubiz can act as a one-stop-shop, by providing services that cover the whole application lifecycle, including functional design and consulting, software architecture design, UX/UI design, software development, QA, and finally maintenance.Need more information? We’ve got you covered! Just take a look at this guide we’ve put together to help you choose the right course of action for your nearshoring needs.
